Wildcats back in action hosting Bengals Thursday

OPENING TIP

• After not playing since December 6, the Weber State women's basketball team returns to the court for two games this weekend against Big Sky rival Idaho State.

• The Wildcats host the Bengals on New Year's Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. at the Dee Events Center. They then open 2021 on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. against the Bengals at Reed Gym in Pocatello. Both games will be streamed live on Pluto TV with live stats at WeberStateSports.com.

• The Wildcats are 0-3 on the season heading into this weekend's games. WSU opened the season on Nov. 27 at Grand Canyon, then hosted Texas A&M International on Nov. 29. The last game played was on Dec. 6 at Boise State.

• Weber State had three games canceled in mid-December due to COVID-19 protocol. The Wildcats were scheduled to host Pacific on Dec. 15 and then open Big Sky play on Dec. 18 and Dec. 20 against Portland State, but all those games were canceled. At this point, Big Sky games will not be rescheduled. The three games played by the Wildcats are the second fewest games played by any team in the Big Sky so far this season.

• The Wildcats currently lead the Big Sky and rank 30th in the nation in free throw percentage at 76.5 percent. Junior Kori Pentzer leads the conference individually at 93.3 percent.

• Sophomore Daryn Hickok leads the Wildcats in scoring at 12.3 points per game. Hickok is also first in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

Jadyn Matthews is fifth in the conference in rebounding at 8.7 per game.

• Idaho State enters this week with a 4-1 overall record and is 2-0 in Big Sky play. The Bengals opened the season with a win over Utah State, before losing at Nebraska. They then won 65-50 at Kansas State. ISU opened Big Sky play with a pair of home wins over Northern Colorado. Idaho State leads the Big Sky in scoring defense, scoring margin and field goal percentage defense. Seton Sobolewski is back for his 13th season as head coach.

• This will be the 91st all-time meeting between the two Big Sky rivals with Weber State holding a 48-42 series lead. The Bengals have won the last five meetings between the two schools, including a 65-54 win in Ogden last year and a 55-41 win in Pocatello.

• Velaida Harris is back for her third season as head coach of the Wildcats.

• After Thursday's game, the Wildcats will play their next four games on the road. WSU takes on the Bengals Saturday in Pocatello, then plays at Eastern Washington on Jan. 7 and Jan. 9 and at Southern Utah on Jan. 21.

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Players Mentioned

Daryn Hickok

Jadyn Matthews

Kori Pentzer

Weber State University Athletics